2006-02-23

What's the deal with Wired magazine becoming an advertisement for the movies? Over the past 8 months or so, I feel like 4 cover stories have been about the movies or hollywood, and every issue has at least one hollywood-related article. What gives, mateys?

2006-02-22

This site lets you look at home values in your area. It already surprised me to see how prices were in my area.

Needs work on the map interface and the firefox support.

And what a wierd name.. wtf is a zillow?

Ah, here we go:

Why "Zillow"?

Once they hatched their idea, they needed a name. "Zillow" evolved from the desire to make zillions of data points for homes accessible to everyone. But a home is about more than data - it is where you lay your head to rest at night, like a pillow. Thus, "Zillow" was born. They knew they had a winning name when employees began talking in Z-language and newly-minted words starting with "Z" popped up everywhere (e.g., Zestimate?, Zindex?).

2006-02-11

2006-02-09

This guy makes an entire FAQ devoted to what is basically the worst ability in the game. And he isn't afraid to admit it. In fact, he talks about it like it's a red-headed step child.

Here's an excerpt to whet your appetite:

See, if Blitz is the popular jock all shallow people love, if SwdTech is the bitch without any real qualities who is adored for her looks and if Rage is the scrawny kid with glasses few people like to talk to who'll later make more money than the rest of class '96 combined, Sketch is the poor kid who, besides being lactose-intolerant, suffering from asthma AND having the worst case of acne known to Western science, lacks any kind of charm, quality or potential.

2006-02-07

If the world didn't understand before how screwed up the fundamentalists are, they should now. The torching of the Danish embassy is so far from a reasonable reaction that only the truly whacko could have done it.

I never really believed GW when he stood up and said that the terrorists fundamentally opposed our way of life--and I'm still not certain, but it seems that at best they fundamentally don't understand it.

The world is now exposed to a refreshing debate about freedom of speech and religion. Newspapers are rightfully publishing the controversy just because they can. People who really don't get it are being exposed, e.g. this random guy who wrote an editorial in the local paper:

We understand the concept of freedom of expression, but that does not mean it is a chance to hurt the feelings of millions of people.

Actually that's exactly what it is; or at least, it's the chance to say stuff without worrying whether or not it will offend someone. A big chunk of the world is showing the rest of us just how poor they are at basic tolerance.

And I think all this is good for the world and for America. It makes what America is doing look better. It helps the rest of the western world separate the good guys from the barbarians.

Hopefully the West will not respond to the violence by caving in. In fact, I think the most beneficial response would be to continue publishing the cartoons in more promininent places, and simply wait until the crazies discover that the sky isn't falling as a result.